The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will exempt all armed forces and paramilitary personnel from Income Tax if voted to power, the party said while releasing its manifesto on Friday for the Lok Sabha elections. In another populist promise, it said it would exempt individuals with an income of up to Rs 3 lakh per year from Income Tax.

The party said it would enact a "strong law" like POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) to counter terrorism and also strengthen coastal security.

We will deal with terrorists, whether inside or outside the country, stringently. A strong law like POTA will be enacted and coastal security will be strengthened, BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

The fencing of the Indo-Bangladesh border which was on the backburner will be taken up earnestly. The Chhattisgarh model of fighting Naxalism will be replicated across the country, he added.

The BJP's prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani, party president Rajnath Singh, manifesto commitee head Murli Manohar Joshi as well as other senior leaders were present on the occasion.